Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show Ukrainian special forces destroying three Russian multiple rocket launcher vehicles in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainians have said that the vehicles had been used to shell the city of Sievierodonetsk.
The images appear to show the Russian multiple rocket launcher vehicles being hit by Ukrainian artillery fire, leaving them destroyed and on fire, with black smoke rising into the air.
The footage was obtained from the Command of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday, 13th June, along with the following statement: “Luhansk region: hunting for the enemy. Thanks to the SSO of Ukraine, three enemy Grads were burned.”
The BM-21 Grad is a multiple rocket launcher vehicle originally built in the Soviet Union.
The SSO added: “During reconnaissance of the enemy’s rear in the Sievierodonetsk direction, our operators discovered several MLRS BM-21 ‘Grad’ installations.
“The enemy used them to shell Sievierodonetsk, other settlements and positions of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.”
They added that after having established the exact coordinates of the enemy vehicles, their soldiers relayed this information to artillerymen operating M777 howitzers.
The SSO added: “Our colleagues destroyed 3 out of 4 enemy MLRS installations with accurate fire. Another Grad installation was damaged as a result of the shelling.”
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 110th day of the campaign.
The footage and the statement were also relayed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which reported that between 24th February and 13th June, Russia had lost 32,300 personnel, 1,432 tanks, 3,492 armoured fighting vehicles, 718 artillery systems, 226 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 warplanes, 178 helicopters, 2,460 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships, 585 drones, 54 pieces of special equipment and 125 cruise missiles.
A huge fire is reportedly raging at a chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk as street-to-street fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces takes place in the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian attacks on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk has turned them into “dead cities”. But he added that Ukrainian forces could still hold Sievierodonetsk despite being outnumbered.
An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has asked for additional weapons from Ukraine’s allies to help push back the Russian forces.
The United Kingdom and the United States are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
President Putin has said that the West will not be able to wean itself off from Russian oil and gas for years. US officials have now also admitted that Russian profits on energy might even be higher than they were before the war started.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership. Some 438 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, with 65 voting against and 94 abstaining.
